13ª Mar de las Calmas — La Restinga

The water beneath you shifts from deep cobalt to a startling clarity as you pass over the twin peaks of the El Bajón volcanic mountain. Rising to within six and nine meters of the surface, this submerged giant acts as a silent sentry for the marine life of the area. You are swimming in the 13ª Mar de las Calmas, an event held in the protected waters of La Restinga, the southernmost settlement in all of Spain. Reaching this point means pushing your stroke to the absolute southern edge of the country, where the Atlantic feels more like a vast, suspended mirror than a chaotic ocean.

The life below

As you glide through the marine reserve, the underwater topography dictates the rhythm of your swim. You might catch a glimpse of the sandy expanse known as El Desierto, home to 'Pancho', a massive dusky grouper who has become a permanent resident of these depths. If you are racing between June and October, the rocky wall of El Salto becomes even more significant; this is one of the few places globally where female sand tiger sharks return to spawn in the wild. Further along, the light plays tricks on your eyes at La Cueva del Diablo, a shallow cavern where the collapsed roof allows sunlight to pierce the water in shifting, vertical shafts that illuminate passing moray eels and trumpetfish.

Race day logistics

The event, organized by Travesía Las Calmas, offers distances of 2500m and 6500m. The reserve itself has been under strict protection since 1996, a status that preserves the clarity and biodiversity you encounter on race day. Given the technical nature of the marine environment and the focus on conservation, the event requires participants to hold a valid open water sports license for the 2025/2026 season. Whether you are navigating the longer course or the shorter distance, the primary challenge remains the unique volcanic architecture of the seabed, which requires careful navigation around the underwater peaks and protected habitats of the reserve.